Petra said: "I knew that I had to play aggressively because Svetlana's a great player on clay, and the last time we played in Paris, I lost to her when we played the normal rallies. So I knew that I had to make a lot of winners, and I knew I that had to go for the volley if I got the opportunity. That's what I was trying to do, and it worked well. I'm glad everything went how I wanted." WTA story

Petra now leads Svetlana 4-1 in career matches. Their previous meeting was in 2014 on red clay in the 3rd round of the French Open at Roland Garros, when Svetlana defeated Petra 6(3)-7, 6-1, 9-7.

Petra is now 16-5 in WTA singles finals, and has a 19-5 singles match record this season. Svetlana is now 14-21 in WTA singles finals, and is 11-10 in matches this year.

The Madrid Open was a new tourney for the WTA in 2009. The tourney is held at a new €157.6 million venue, with 14 indoor and 16 outdoor courts. Three of the courts are inside a single building called La Caja Mágica (The Magic Box), with independently-retractable roofs for each of those three courts. Court Manolo Santana seats over 12,000 fans, Court Arantxa Sanchez Vicario seats 3194, and Court Stadium 3 seats 2730. design & constr. pics
Up until 2003 the WTA Spanish Open was held in Madrid, and, in 2007 and 2006, the WTA Championships were held there.

2015: Young ladies looking darned good at the players' party on Sunday, May 3 in Madridincluded Alize Cornet, Anabel Medina Garrigues, and 2014 tourney champ Maria Sharapova...

Serena said: "I was able to win good today, but [Madison has] been playing really well. I've been following her results. She got to the semifinals of her last clay court event and she's been having some good wins. When I play a person I know has done well or is doing well, I have to be really focused every point." WTA story

*n28 Alize Cornet FRA d n2 s2 Simona Halep ROU 7-6(6), 6-3 Tue

Alize's forehand drive

Alize said: "It went great for me. I played really amazing on the center court. The first set was really tight and I saved a set point by doing an amazing backhand down the line. The second was tight as well... I had to be focused to the end." WTA story

n3 s3 Maria Sharapova RUS d n21 Timea Bacsinszky SUI 6-2, 6-3 Tue

Maria driving a forehand

Maria said: "Facing an opponent I'd lost to previously in Wuhan in two sets, and someone that's been playing really good tennis this year, I knew this would be a tough match. There's no doubt about this and I was ready after having a good practice week." WTA story

Ana said: "I thought I started the match really well, but then I really dropped my level. [Alexandra] definitely raised hers. She wasn't making any errors. But after working hard through that second set I was feeling more confident, and I definitely raised my level again in the third set. I'm really happy to be through and to have an opportunity to improve for my next match." WTA story

Maria said: "I knew maybe [Mariana] wasn't going to hit a crazy amount of winners, but she would stay in the point and make me work for it... [For me] it wasn't about hitting winners, but being consistent with depth and looking for my opportunities to move forward." WTA story

About her 3rd round opponent, Agnieszka Radwanska, Caroline said: "We grew up playing together. We've known each other since we were both eight years old. There are no secrets out there. We practice together all the time, and we play against each other a lot too. She's been playing really well this week, so it's going to be a really tough match." WTA story

Victoria struggled with injuries in 2014. Serena said: "She's absolutely on her way back. It's so good to see a Grand Slam champion like her playing so well. I'm always rooting for her when she plays. Yeah, so it's good to see her on her way back. She's clearly doing great." WTA story

Vika said: "I think overall it was a great match. I think the one negative part I can take about today is the result. Overall I felt like I played a pretty high level, I was there on every point. It just didn't go my way in the end, but overall I should take more positives out of today."

n3 s3 Maria Sharapova RUS d n29 Caroline Garcia FRA 6-2, 4-6, 7-5

Maria twisting a serve

Maria said: "I think really in the third it just came down to a few points. I think [Caroline] was the more aggressive player in the third set. She was going for a lot. Of course I could have had a higher percentage of first serves. Even on some good second serves she stepped in and hit some really good shots and there was just not much I could do. I think the percentage from her dropped a bit at the end." WTA story

n4 s4 Petra Kvitova CZE d n41 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova RUS 6-1, 6-4

Petra driving a backhand

Petra said: "I'm glad I did everything well. Especially that I served well. The last game was really important, and I made it from 0-40. I'm happy for that for sure. I didn't expect that I was going to play three, four matches here before the tournament, so I'm really glad to still be in." WTA story

Serena said: "I approach everything as I want to do the best that I can. I'm so determined for every single point. If I lost the match, it's okay, as long as I know I gave the best I could on that day." WTA story

Carla said: "[Serena is] playing her game, dominating and hitting some really good winners. The winners just come out when she plays. Everything works for her."

Maria said: "I think I became a little bit more aggressive at the end. I was so far back for a long period of time after winning the first set. I definitely thought that was an improvement, something I started doing better in the third. And opening up the court a little bit more and then moving forward. I was staying too far back and letting her get in the rallies, which she's really good at." WTA story

Petra had been 0-5 in previous matches against Serena. Petra said: "For sure I'm happy I won today. I had never beaten [Serena], so it's a really special moment for me." WTA story

Serena said: "I think [Petra] just played well today. I mean, she went for broke on every serve, every return. I hit some second serves, 170, 175, and she just hit them for winners. I was very slow off the mark. After my serve I wasn't moving as well as I should have. You know, I wasn't in it. I wasn't Serena today. I think that was the main thing."

*n27 Svetlana Kuznetsova RUS d n3 s3 Maria Sharapova RUS 6-2, 6-4

Maria driving a forehand, and Svetlana following one

Svetlana said: "I feel very happy, it was a very tough match. I was playing good, serving good. Everything was working well." WTA story